Underwhelming Cohesion

I’m a huge Joey Bada$$ fan—1999 was a game-changer for me, and I’ve been hooked ever since. However, I found the beef he started this year, followed by his claim of a 20v1, pretty lackluster. Even lamer was how he didn’t capitalize on it with a release, whether that was his fault or not. Now that we finally have a new Joey album, I’m wiping that beef from my mind and diving in fresh, but my expectations for Mr. B4.DA.$$ are sky-high.

The album has its peaks and valleys for me. Nothing terrible, but for an MC of Joey’s caliber, some tracks don’t fully land. Starting with DARK AURA and SWANK WHITE was solid, though I wasn’t sold on the DARK AURA beat, especially as the opener. SWANK WHITE felt more tailored for Westside Gunn than Joey, but I still enjoyed it. SUPAFLEE was an early standout—a throwback beat that teeters on corny but nails the balance perfectly, growing on me quickly.

HIGHROLLER is solid with a strong beat, though I’m not convinced Joey and Ferg are the best combo. The back half, however, loses me. READY TO LOVE, UNDERWATER, and 3 FEET AWAY are skips for me. READY TO LOVE has potential but needs a better hook—maybe without Ty Dolla $ign. SPEEDIN’ THROUGH THE RAIN, STILL, and LONELY AT THE TOP are decent but not tracks I’ll revisit often. BK’S FINEST, with Rome, CJ Fly, and newcomer Kai Ca$h, is a clear highlight. Joey’s rapping is strong across the board, but the album’s moody vibe, while fitting the title, doesn’t fully resonate with me. His singing on some tracks is okay but not what I’m seeking from him.

There’s solid rapping here, but the songs themselves don’t always hit. I had concerns after hearing the singles, which didn’t grab me, and I prefer experiencing tracks in the context of the full album. While the album has a cohesive sound that fans of this style will likely enjoy—Joey’s skill is undeniable—it doesn’t feel like a classic for me.

Standout Tracks: Standout Tracks: DARK AURA, SUPAFLEE & BK’S FINEST

Album Rating: 👑👑👑👑👑👑👑 (7/10)